The cost of Trump's wall

My own attitude to this is complicated by trying to look at the facts rather than responding emotionally or out of prejudice.

There is no doubt in my mind that there is long-standing problem which this is trying to address.

Because it has been left by various Administrations there is no solution that is not inordinately messy – and this is!

It has to be seen in the context of an Empire that has allowed infrastructure to rot and problems to fester – all to make Empire and wage war on multi fronts.

It is a symptom of an Empire in decline.

The MAGA idea on behalf of Trump’s supporters is deluded while the other side – the Deep State, the Democrats and the compliant media are lying every time they open their mouths.

The costs of any action by a dying imperial state is huge – to the population and to the environment.

Trump may use Puerto Rico, California disaster funds to build border wall

NY Post,

11 January, 2019

President Trump has been briefed about using disaster-relief money meant to help storm-soaked Puerto Rico and fire-ravaged California to build his border wall, according to a report.

If Trump declares a national emergency, he could dip into a $13.9 billion Army Corps of Engineers fund intended for public works, NBC reported.

Of that money, $2.5 billion is allocated for ongoing recovery from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, and $2.4 billion is set aside to improve infrastructure along the the Yuba River Basin in California.

Defense Department officials discussed the plan with Trump Thursday as he traveled to the southern border.

Trump needs $5.7 billion to build the long-promised wall along the nation’s southern border.

Twenty days ago, parts of the federal government were shut as part of his ongoing feud with Democrats, who are blocking funding for the border wall with Mexico.
Officials told Trump the Army Corps could put up 315 miles of 30-foot, bollard-style barrier in 18 months, according to NBC, which cited sources.

But siphoning off money for disaster relief and mitigation will put American lives at risk, a Congressional staffer told the outlet.

“Hundreds of thousands of people will be at risk if there is a strong or wet winter in these flood areas and the protection projects haven’t been completed,” the staffer said.

Trump could take billions from disaster areas to fund wall

The Israeli company that built a wall along Gaza's border wants to build Donald Trump's wall on the Mexican border

the Independent,

6 February, 2018

The Israeli company that built Israel’s border fence wit Gaza is now seeking to build Donald Trump’s planned wall between the US and Mexico.

Magal Security Systems presented its Fiber Patrol product at a conference on border security, attended by officials from the US Department of Homeland Security, Bloomberg reported.

The company, which previously built Israel’s West Bank security wall, showed US officials its fibre-optic sensor fencing, which it says is already used at airports and seaports around the world.

Eric Trump’s business trip cost US taxpayers nearly $100,000

The barrier-building business has seen its shares soar by nearly 50 per cent since Mr Trump’s election, Bloomberg reports.

“We have the right product and we have the experience in Israel that helps in showcasing our product,” the company’s chief executive Saar Koursh told the news agency.

Magal Security Systems also helped build a fence along Israel’s border with Egypt and in Somalia and other countries in Africa.

President of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu previously tweeted about his support for Mr Trump’s wall on the border with Mexico.

“President Trump is right. I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea,” he tweeted.

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said there might not be a physical structure all along the border but surveillance technology, including sensor products, will be used in some places.

The President has repeatedly said he would build a "big, beautiful wall" all the way across the US-Mexico border, and force the latter country to pay for it. But Mexico has said that it will refuse to pay for any wall – the costs of which are expected to be in the tens of billions.

Trump threatens to cut off disaster funding for California fire victims

LA Times

11 January, 2019

President Trump injected new uncertainty into California’s wildfire recovery efforts, tweeting early Wednesday that he has ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency not to send more disaster funding to state officials “unless they get their act together, which is unlikely.”

Neither the White House nor FEMA provided clarification, in response to emails and calls, about whether Trump’s threat was bluster like other tweets he has sent making false assertions while criticizing the state’s fire management, or if he has actually ordered a funding cutoff to thousands of Californians trying to rebuild after the devastating fires late last year.

The president tweeted: “Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forrest fires that, with proper Forrest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!”

He later re-sent the message after correcting the spelling of “forest.”...

Read HERE